Meringues

Meringues

Adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi

450g castor sugar

6 large egg whites, at room temp

pinch salt

1 tbsp cocoa powder

50g dark chocolate chopped

40g finely chopped hazelnuts 

1 1/2 tbsp freeze-dried raspberry powder

50g chopped white chocolate 

2 tsp match green tea powder, plus extra for sprinkling 

1/3 tsp vanilla bean paste

Preheat oven to about 200c. Evenly spread the sugar on a parchment-lined baking tray and put in the oven for about 10 minutes or until its starts to turn slightly golden. 

While the sugar is in the oven, whisk the egg whites in a stand mixer on high-speed until they begin to froth up to almost soft peaks, then beat in the pinch of salt.

With the mixer on medium speed, add the hot sugar carefully and slowly. Turn to high-speed and mix for another 7 minutes or until cool.

Lower oven temperature to 110C and get 4 empty bowls ready. 

Line 2 baking sheets with baking paper and dab just a little bit of the meringue mixture under each of the four corners to secure it down. Divide the merigue mixture between the four bowls. in the first bowl, sift in the cocoa, add half the chopped dark chocolate and fold in lightly to give a marbled effect. Place mandarin sized dollops of the meringue on the baking sheet, leaving space in between each one, and sprinkle over the remaining chocolate and hazelnuts. Set aside. In the second bowl, sift in the raspberry powder, add half the white chocolate and fond lightly again to give a marbled affect. Dollop on to the baking tray and sprinkle evenly with the remaining white chocolate. In the third bowl, add the green tea powder and vanilla and beat lightly until combined, dollop onto the baking stray and dust over a little more green tea powder. Then, leave the last portion just plain by itself. Place in the oven and bake for about 1 hour and 30 minutes.